TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Alarmed by the mounting toll of traffic accidents involving seniors, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) convened an urgent road safety meeting on Tuesday (May 13). The gathering revealed troubling statistics from the Social Welfare Department (社會局), a municipal agency overseeing community services, showing elderly traffic fatalities jumped from 84 in 2020 to 105 in 2024, while injuries surged dramatically from 5,282 to 7,791 during the same period.
The demographic challenge underpinning this crisis is significant, with Mayor Hou revealing that New Taipei City, Taiwan's most populous municipality surrounding the capital, now counts 781,849 elderly residents representing 19.3% of its population. The city is poised to cross the "super-aged society" threshold of 20% within months. Accident analysis shows most senior victims were either scooter riders or pedestrians who died primarily after crossing roads improperly or failing to observe approaching vehicles.
Mayor Hou directed city officials to intensify educational outreach targeting seniors, with specific emphasis on safe road-crossing practices and environmental awareness while navigating streets. He mandated that all municipal departments amplify their advocacy efforts and accident prevention initiatives focused on elderly residents. The mayor also called for stricter enforcement against drunk driving, which he identified as another significant contributor to traffic incidents that devastate families across the city. ★
